Dear Colleagues,
Infectious diseases, including those that affect the eye, are a global health problem gaining increased attention in the ophthalmic community. At the 2016 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, more than 600 people attended a special late-breaking session on emerging viruses, organized by Mass. Eye and Ear cornea specialist, James Chodosh, MD, MPH. Panelists included Todd Margolis, MD, PhD, Washington University; Steven Yeh, MD, Emory University; Ian Crozier, MD, World Health Organization; Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School and Partners in Health; and Lee Jampol, MD, Northwestern University. Global leaders agree that there is an urgent need to better understand infectious disease mechanisms, as well as to improve ophthalmic screening and care.
According to Dr. Farmer, it is critical that we consider the ecology of infectious diseases as we work to improve patient care. Dr. Jampol reported that he is now seeing cases of emerging viruses, such as Ebola and Zika, manifesting in the retina, and Dr. Crozier commented on the incidence of post-Ebola uveitis. While Ebola and Zika are often headline news, some commonly known infectious diseases are equally, if not more, concerning.
In this issue of Eye Insights, we provide an update on emerging bacteria and viruses to help inform your clinical practice. We also review two of the most commonly managed infectious eye diseases in Mass. Eye and Ear’s Emergency Department: bacterial keratitis and herpes zoster ophthalmicus.
We hope you find Eye Insights a helpful tool for supporting your patient management practices. Back issues are available online at MassEyeAndEar.org. If you have questions or comments, please email us at eyeinsights@meei.harvard.edu.
Joan W. Miller, MD
Henry Willard Williams Professor of Ophthalmology
Chair, Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology
Chief of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital